Emily Ho is a fashion-lover, social media strategist, writer, and lifestyle blogger for Authentically Emmie. In 2009, Emmie’s blog began as a weight loss blog, but over the years has evolved into something so much more. After losing over 110 pounds, she shifted her focus from losing weight and seeking validation from the scale to living a healthy lifestyle with the body she has, and not hating it. Her now healthy living blog is a platform to discuss life, plus-size fashion, body positivity, and more!
Scientists and nutrition experts like it too and are saying it’s the way of the future for losing and keeping weight off and new books and articles on the topic are being published daily including best selling books like ‘Eat Stop Eat’ and ‘The 8 Hour Diet’. Intermittent fasting is also popular with followers of the Paleo diet since our ancestors appear to have eaten this way for thousands of years.
Replace the negative voice in your head that's telling you to quit with a motivational saying that will inspire you to keep going even when it gets tough. "I powered through workouts telling myself, 'I can do hard things!'" says Megen Karlinsey, who kept off 150 pounds. Her mantra helped her accomplish a triathlon, which she signed up for to blast a weight loss plateau.

About: Tiffany’s blogging officially started in 2009, but it was kind of an off-and-on thing until 2013. Then, Tiffany really amped up her blogging efforts, much to the thrill of her followers. Tiffany’s blog is packed with healthy recipes, weight loss challenges and tips on how to find happiness — all from a girl who is extraordinarily relatable and “loves cheesy dance workout videos, dark chocolate, watching movies, with her husband, and riding my beach cruiser around the neighborhood like a kid.” Enough said.

#3 – Eat breakfast! As Mom always said it’s the most important meal of the day and it is. Your body needs fuel to speed up your metabolism and to get you going. I like to eat yogurt with fruit and granola, or oatmeal with Greek Yogurt, and sometimes eggs and pancakes. I like to eat about 300 calories for breakfast. Having full hearty meals, with protein, a pinch of fat and carbs will keep me filled for 3 or 4 hours.
If you get enough protein and fat, your total calorie intake should take care of itself. Because you feel full, you won't binge on a can of Pringles and blow your calorie count for the day. The remaining 45 percent of calories in our plan comes from carbohydrates — enough to give your palate a full range of tastes and your body a combination of fast- and slow-burning fuel.
If you're mostly sedentary (and let's face it—with 9-to-5 desk jobs being the norm, it's hard to avoid), you'll start to see noticeable results with just a slight increase in your activity level. Break up the hours in front of the computer by using your lunch break to move around. "I started walking for 45 minutes during my lunch break," says Melissa Leon, who ultimately dropped 53 pounds. "The area was super hilly, but feeling the burn in my butt and quads as I powered up those hills let me know I was making progress."
A recent increase in exercise using kettle bells has also increased my weight and I have heard about this before so wasn’t concerned but I am still increasing weight so thought I’d better look at what I’m eating as well. (By the way kettle bells are amazing for your core). Looking at Adam’s lists, I was horrified to see cereal had so much sugar – even the bran and fruit kind and with milk this doesn’t appear to be the good start to the day I had thought. So it’s fruit tomorrow!
I didn’t realize just how many calories I was consuming, so tracking what I ate helped keep me aware of what I was putting in my mouth. I don’t count calories anymore, but I track macros (protein, carb, and fat grams) to keep my diet balanced and in check. Macros allows me to have my carrots and cake, too! If you’re interested in learning more or want to work together, check out my macro plan options!
Close the Kitchen at Night. Establish a time when you will stop eating so you won't give in to the late-night munchies or mindless snacking while watching television. "Have a cup of tea, suck on a piece of hard candy or enjoy a small bowl of light ice cream or frozen yogurt if you want something sweet after dinner, but then brush your teeth so you will be less likely to eat or drink anything else," suggests Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, WebMD's "Recipe Doctor" and the author of Comfort Food Makeovers.
And my motivation is people! I have a friend that goes to almost all of my gym classes with me, so I look forward to going just so I can see her! I found running buddies who go to races with me, so running a 5k is actually fun(ish) and it’s more of a social experience than physical torture. And my Fitbit helps me to be more conscious of my movement on a daily basis. I don’t know why, but those silly little flashing lights make me want to get my 10,000 steps in everyday!

Like I said, all of this revamped progress started in August and the weight loss was slow. Slow like an average of 1 pound a week. Some weeks I would lose 1 or 2 pounds and other weeks I would lose nothing. For a while, I didn't notice any physical changes and if it wasn't for the fact that I was standing on a scale looking at a different number, I wouldn't have any guessed my body was changing. The biggest change for me during this time was not what my body looked like, but what it felt like. I noticed the food I ate (in combination with my work outs) left me with more energy. I felt less sluggish and more ready to take on the day. Completed workouts and nutritious choices filled me with confidence and empowerment.

Replace the negative voice in your head that's telling you to quit with a motivational saying that will inspire you to keep going even when it gets tough. "I powered through workouts telling myself, 'I can do hard things!'" says Megen Karlinsey, who kept off 150 pounds. Her mantra helped her accomplish a triathlon, which she signed up for to blast a weight loss plateau.
Hi Gary! Thank you for the nice comment, Sorry it took so long for me to reply. I understand about seeing pictures of yourself and it’s wonderful that it motivated you. For a lot of people it doesn’t. It didn’t for me for years. Until one day, I was digging in my drawer and I found a picture of me and I couldn’t believe my eyes! My family said it wasn’t me, well it was me! I recognize my shoes and handbag anywhere! I keep that picture on my fridge, and when the urge to eat hits, I look at it, breath and ask myself,am I really hungry?
Top Quote: “I am snarky. I am cynical. I am a twin. I am overweight. I am beautiful. I am a nice girl. I am quirky. I am left handed. I am romantic. I am daring. I am a smart. I am interdependent. I am cultured. I am book smart. I am film smart. I am pop culture smart. I am not good at math. I am an English major. I am sexy. I am a clean freak. I am a perfectionist. I am just me.”

About: Blogs full of heart-felt writing and deep emotions are great, but it never hurts to toss in one with a laugh-out-loud humor to it as well. Enter Running off the Reese's blogger Cely. If her blog mantra “Because no one should have to choose between their pants and chocolate” doesn’t pull you in, her creative use of gifs and humorous style of writing will. Cely was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 18 — a diagnosis she certainly didn’t let hold her back. She runs races (usually half-marathons or less), shares her experiences, has a long list of book reviews...and talks a bit about life in general in between. And it’s awesome.

Just like your brain has pain sensors to tell you that the curling iron is hot, your brain has hunger sensors. Basically your brain is telling your stomach “we need nourishment” or in the case of the curling iron “hey, woman that’s hot stop touching it”. The only way to turn off hunger receptors is to feed your body the nourishment it needs to sustain itself… and yep you guessed it that means veggies! (7,8)

About: Going through a divorce can do nasty things to a person — it can cause weight gain, low self-esteem, job changes, you name it. It certainly was a downward spiral for Emma, who went through the ringer before meeting (and getting engaged) to her current fiancé — but along the way she learned how to find the joy in life and learn to love herself. Emma decided to start a blog as a way to bring her newfound positivity to others. Her outlook on healthy living and eating, fitness and weight loss is charged with positivity. She’s a glass-half-full kind of person, and reading her blog can make you one too.

I am trying to lose AT LEAST 10 pounds in the next 2 weeks. I have been trying to lose 20 pounds for 3 months now and have only lost about 5 pounds. Whenever I lose weight I always end up gaining it right back. I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t want to look good (even though that would be a bonus) but I just want to be happy with myself… I am 18, 122.4 pounds, and 5’1″. I eat healthy, I bike, run, or do step aerobics for 45-60 6 times a week for the past 3 months, and lost only 5 pounds… Help! Please!!
Also, while your menstrual cycle may not affect weight gain or loss, losing or gaining weight can affect your menstrual cycle. Women who lose too much weight or lose weight too quickly may stop having a period, or have irregular periods. Women who have obesity may also have irregular periods. A regular period is a sign of good health. Reaching a healthy weight can help women who have irregular periods to have cycles that are more regular. Learn more in our Menstrual Cycle section.
It's a great accomplishment to lose half your body weight, as Shauna of The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl did, but the real beauty is in how she's mostly kept it off for a decade. After regaining 50 pounds, she confronted her emotional issues around eating and now says, "my philosophy boils down to: Do the healthy thing more often than you don't do the healthy thing. It's not about numbers and scales, it's eating well and being kind to myself. Persistence, not perfection. Getting back up when I fall over. Over and over again!"
Chronic migraines were what first inspired Amanda Tagge to start exercising. “I was hoping to find some relief from my headaches and working out did help but I realized that if I really wanted to feel better I needed to revamp my health habits overall and lose weight,” she says. The more she changed, the better her headaches got and she lost 70 pounds in the process which helped her feel even better. Focusing on all the ways her health was improving kept her going even when the scale wasn’t moving.
Happy Friday! 😎 The weekend is almost here, and I'm dreaming about this "Crack Coffee" that I tried at @dfgrille last week. Listen to this epic iced coffee combo: Black Barrel @mountgayrum, St. Elizabeth All Spice Dram, Chai Tea Syrup, @chameleoncoldbrew Nitro, Half & Half, and Whipped Cream. How does THAT sound as a Friday pick-me-up? ☕️🥂 #signmeup #dfgrilleVIP #happyhour #icedcoffee
I am so obsessed with food but every time I look in the mirror it makes me feel so disappointed on myself. I did want lose weight but can’t help to eat and eat more food, I already use all kinds of method on diet like keto, vegetarian, vegan etc. but it won’t work because of my eagerness to eat foods. So, I began to research what can help me on losing my weight and to lose appetite and I saw this blimburnseeds.com/news/marijuana/news/media-tv/imprisoned-in-ecuador-for-carry-cannabis-seeds-and-paraphernalia-part-1/. A report from The American Journal of Medicine explains that regular marijuana use was associated with lower levels of fasting insulin and smaller waist circumference. Cbd and thc are also new to me and I don’t even smoke. Alternatively, they’ve also found new ways to infuse cannabis on food and beverages. If this is true I can’t find any solid conclusive evidence that speaks to its efficacy. Any personal experience or testimonial would be highly appreciated. Thanks
Refined white breads are simple carbohydrates that your body processes as sugar, and can really hinder your weight-loss efforts. Whole grain bread, on the other hand, is chock-full of slimming fiber and can help you feel fuller, longer. Just be sure to read your labels. “If the ingredients at the top of the ingredient list read sugar, sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, white or wheat flour, these foods contain mostly simple carbs and should be limited,” Rebecca Lewis, RD, told us. “A food is only considered a whole grain if the first ingredient on the packaging says, ‘whole grain’ or ‘whole wheat.’”
SOURCES: WebMD Feature: "With Fruits and Veggies, More Matters." 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author, The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids. Elaine Magee, MPH, RD,author, Comfort Food Makeovers. Brian Wansink, PhD, professor and director, Cornell Food and Brand Lab, Ithaca, N.Y.; author, Mindless Eating. Barbara Rolls, PhD, professor of nutritional sciences; and director, laboratory for the study of human ingestive behaviors, Penn State University; and author, The Volumetrics Eating Plan.
It’s possible that your training is getting in the way of weight loss. I’m a true believer that you should eat for your goals. It sounds like your goal right now is the Ragnar Relay. Getting your body ready for that AND losing weight might be a challenge. This is especially true with the amount of training you’re doing right now. Your body may not want to give up that stored energy source if you’ve been pushing it to its limits on a weekly basis.

Do not try to starve yourself. Neglecting to consume sufficient numbers of calories on a regular basis can result in the opposite effects you're looking for and, if sustained, can be life-threatening. If you have attempted to lose weight by skipping multiple meals or drastically reducing your daily calorie intake, speak with a health professional about getting information on eating disorders.

Nuts. It’s very easy to eat until the nuts are gone, regardless of how full you are. A tip: According to science, salted nuts are harder to stop eating than unsalted nuts. Salted nuts tempt you to more overeating. Good to know. Another tip: Avoid bringing the entire bag to the couch, preferably choose a small bowl instead. I often eat all the nuts in front of me, whether I’m hungry or not.
Nuts. It’s very easy to eat until the nuts are gone, regardless of how full you are. A tip: According to science, salted nuts are harder to stop eating than unsalted nuts. Salted nuts tempt you to more overeating. Good to know. Another tip: Avoid bringing the entire bag to the couch, preferably choose a small bowl instead. I often eat all the nuts in front of me, whether I’m hungry or not.
Hi Jennifer! I just spent about an hour looking over your blog and I love it. I especially love your weight loss story. It’s very motivational and informative. I just opened a Yogurtland in Brentwood a few days ago. Our grand opening is July 8th and I would love it if you came. Yes there are a ton of toppings that are not the best health choice, but we also have a lot of fresh fruit and other toppings that make frozen yogurt a good dessert choice for those that are trying to keep it healthy but also have a sweet tooth. Let me know if you would like to come on the 8th and please feel free to bring friends or family! Hope to meet you soon!
I read about your weight loss and plan and its giving me hope to change. I recently am undergoing a lot of change internally and externally (adjusting to living alone , and a demanding new job) so I want a new me by the end of this month too – physically. I will try this new way of eating for 2 weeks, and keep a log of my progress and what I am eating along with the strength training. Question- I didnt see much in the way of cardio, did you do any in the first 2 weeks? thanks. Maria
Thyroid hormone is essential for fat loss. Unfortunately on a low carbohydrate diet thyroid hormone production can slow down. This is crucial to bear in mind for women especially because women’s metabolism and thyroid activity are much more sensitive than men’s. It is important in the “low carb” times of the cycle to still not be very low carb. Stay above 50 grams of carbohydrate a day, at very minimum (and higher if physically active).
And maybe a new mattress, because it’s not just the amount of time you spend sleeping that keeps you lean, it’s also the quality of your sleep. Fat cells in your body produce a hormone called leptin that helps the body keep track of how much potential energy (i.e. fat) it has stored. But leptin is only produced during certain stages of sleep. Miss out on those stages because you’re not resting soundly enough, and you’ll disturb levels of the hormone, leaving your body with no real idea of its energy reserves. Consequently, you’ll end up storing calories rather than burning them.

[…] Jennifer Drummond’s weight loss journey began in the summer of 2009 when she walked every day after dinner — no exceptions. She lost ten pounds in one month. “That was the push I needed,” she said. But she didn’t stop there. Drummond started controlling her portions and later she started counting calories. In 2010 she began working out to TV exercise channels. Gradually she continued to do more. […]

#1 – Eat enough food! Your body can’t function without it’s fuel! You need a MINIMUM of 1200 calories a day for woman, but I personally recommend at least 1500, but you should consult your doctor for a better amount. Just remember if you don’t eat enough, your body goes into starvation mode and will store everything as fat. Also if you eat to much, you’ll gain! Remember 1lbs is 3500 calories! Your body burns calories when we do nothing so dont’ think you’ll gain 3500 calories if you eat that in a week. Here’s more information about that. It’s to hard for me to explain. http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_BMR.php
Christy Brissette, MS, RD is one of North America's top dietitians and a leading nutrition and food communications expert. She is the President of 80 Twenty Nutrition, a nutrition and food media company. Her mission is to end food confusion and dieting once and for all. Christy appears on national TV and is interviewed for international magazines, radio and websites. She empowers her clients to look and feel their best with the healing power of healthy, delicious food. She helps clients achieve results through cutting-edge, creative and fun meal plans and recipes. You can still enjoy your favourite foods and have the body of your dreams!
Your phone, tablet, and television may be affecting your waist size in more ways that one. Obviously if you’re sitting on electronics then you’re not moving around and burning calories. But the effects go beyond just energy. Blue light from electronic screens can disrupt your circadian rhythms; so our addiction to electronics is reducing our sleep as people favor Netflix-bingeing to bed. Both of these effects have been linked to higher levels of belly fat. These 21 other terrible habits will make your belly fat worse.
Some of us no longer have the strong joints we had as teenagers. Jogging is out of the question and walking doesn’t cut it. The good news is elliptical trainers provide an intense, low impact cardio workout. In fact, a 145-lb. person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes on an elliptical trainer. That’s about as many calories as running burns, but without the joint wear-and-tear.
If u are getting lots of headaches it’s likely due to your electrolytes not being balanced. Please make sure your taking a magnesium and potassium supplement. Magnesium can make u drowsy a bit so id suggest taking before bed. Please also make sure you are taking in enough water, plain water or with lemon. Also some artificial sweetners, even keto friendly ones can cause headaches.
In proofreading this I decided to add a little side note. This is MY personal story and personal experience with anxiety medication. Maybe it just isn’t for me, maybe it just wasn’t the right one or maybe I just had a bad experience. Whatever the case may be, I completely understand that everyone has different situations and different stories. For me, anxiety was induced by our life situation and was something that I have been able to since manage on my own. But I completely understand and acknowledge that this might not be the case for everyone and I completely respect that.
Very informative. I’m just now starting out on my weight loss journey, and have started a weight loss blog of my own. My entire family are overweight and it is a struggle dealing with them as I try to change my habits. Even harder because being around them in an environment where eating bad is easy to get away with makes me fall back. I am finding each time I go back home I end up binging.

I learned (and am still learning) to GIVE MYSELF GRACE. This is something I will probably work on my entire life. It’s humbling to know that even when I work so hard, I will fall short and miss the mark because I am human. With that in mind, I must forgive myself and love myself. It's important to keep my head up and remind myself that the tiny baby steps lead to progress.

Monica May is a Fitness Trainer, Nutritionist, Health Coach, and the writer and voice behind the Fit Girl’s Diary blog. She uses her blog as a way to motivate and support her readers through ongoing weight loss battles. Her passion and belief that a solid support system can make all the difference is what makes Fit Girl’s Diary of the most inspirational blogs for your journey. With healthy recipes, diet and workout programs, and endless support, Fit Girl’s Diary is there to help!